UNICEF Pacific Consultancy: Strengthening SIEMIS Data Quality, Use, and Governance, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 140 days spread over 15 months

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For every child, the right to learning.

The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) in the Solomon Islands operates within the framework of the Solomon Islands National Development Strategy (2016–2035) and the Education Strategic Framework (2016–2030). These strategic documents guide the implementation of the National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2022–2026, which is aligned with the newly approved Education Act (2023).

MEHRD is currently undertaking a major education reform as part of the newly approved Education Legislative Framework (ELF) reform, aimed at transforming education systems to improve learning outcomes for children and establishing ways to deliver education services, allowing provincial education providers to take a greater role and responsibility in managing and providing education services as part of decentralized education services.

Over the past few years, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) has been working to upgrade and strengthen the Solomon Islands Education Management Information System (SIEMIS) to make it more affordable, practical, and sustainable. To this end, in 2019, MEHRD, in partnership with the Community Systems Foundation (CSF), initiated a transition to OpenEMIS. However, full implementation has not been realized due to several challenges. The intended goal of this transition is to enhance data quality, improve utilization of the EMIS platform (software), and strengthen governance—ultimately enabling more informed decision-making that contributes to better educational outcomes.

SIEMIS is part of iManage component under the National Education ICT Master Plan for 2025-2025, which is currently in its final phase of review and finalization. To enhance data quality and governance, MEHRD seeks to fundamentally review the current SIEMIS business model, processes, practices, tools, and approaches. The objective is to identify sustainable, user-friendly, and cost-effective solutions that are better aligned with the Solomon Islands Government’s (SIG) wider digital infrastructure and dataset through the Information Communication Technology Support Unit (ICTSU) under the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT).

The SIEMIS assessment aims to enhance efficiency by streamlining data collection, verification, and analysis processes. More importantly, it seeks to identify a viable EMIS model and platform that reduces the high transaction costs associated with hosting and external technical support. The SIEMIS reform aims to build a more resilient and cost-effective system that ensures continuity, ownership, and long-term sustainability.

In addition, in 2023, MEHRD, with technical support from UNICEF, conducted an Enabling Factor Assessment (EFA). The EFA assessment identified key gaps and prioritized strengthening data, use, and evidence as a high-priority area for transforming the education system. The enabling factor assessment identified several key challenges, including, but not limited to, data availability, data quality, gaps in data analysis, timely reporting, and the continued reliance on paper-based data, all of which cause delays as schools are responsible for completing the survey forms and returning them to the Ministry. Additionally, there is a lack of comprehensive disability data analysis, as well as a significant amount of collected data remains unanalyzed, unreported, and unutilized.

Against this backdrop, MEHRD, in partnership with UNICEF Pacific and support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) through the System Capacity Grant (SCG), is seeking targeted technical support to assess and review the current SIEMIS platform.

How can you make a difference? 

The objective of this consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the Solomon Islands Education Management Information System (SIEMIS) to identify workable models and intervention options, and to support the implementation of key proposed recommendations aimed at enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and impact. The focus is on strengthening data quality, utilization, and governance, thereby enabling the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) to make informed choices on the most appropriate EMIS platform and to guide evidence-based policy and planning decisions.

Specific objectives of the assignment:

Please refer to the ToR ( ToR for SIEMIS Data Quality Use and Governance.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

This consultant is for individual consultants only. Candidates are requested to submit a brief technical proposal and CV. In your technical proposal please include how you will integrate teaching at the right level approach, climate education and gender equity and social inclusion.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

Education:

Experience & Skills:

Language:

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.